Even after I had my own apartment across town and was approaching thirty, he still referred to me as his little daughter. Before we weren’t, we were very close. We got into an argument six years ago. If I’m being honest, it was a dumb one. Underlying the politics was grief, control, and two people who had lost the ability to communicate in the same language. That day, I shut the door on him. Neither of us followed up. Then the phone rang. I was informed by a facility woman that he had been admitted a month prior. Dementia symptoms…
Author: World Wide
Sincerely, I didn’t anticipate my youngster grinning that day. He had recently completed his third round of chemotherapy, and the side effects were becoming more intense. He had not laughed in about a week, his energy was low, and his appetite had vanished. Officer Kyle then entered. He was only supposed to be there to deliver off some toys that had been given. He didn’t hesitate, though, when he noticed my son wearing his Superman shirt and the toy bow and arrow on the tray table. “You think you can hit a moving target?” he said, kneeling next to the…
I was only meant to be picking up cat litter and trash bags. That’s all. Out and in. However, as I pulled into the Walmart parking lot, I noticed a large, unkempt dog sitting close to the cart return, perhaps waiting for someone who never returned. He didn’t yell. remained motionless. observed each car as if it were the one. With my hands out, I approached slowly. He didn’t recoil. simply raised those weary, uncertain eyes to me. He leaned his entire body against me as if he had been holding himself together all day and had just let go…
I had spent months saving money. collecting cans, running errands for neighbors, and doing yard maintenance. All of the money was deposited into an old cookie tin beneath my bed. I just wanted a bike. Not an expensive one, just something respectable so I can walk to school without my shoes breaking. Upon reaching my breaking point, my aunt took me to the shop. I chose a red one with flame decals because it was my perfect size, flashy, and had a speedy appearance. Freedom on two wheels was how it felt. As I wheeled it in the direction of…
I didn’t give the C.H.A.M.P.S. program much thought when it was implemented at our school. It’s just another assembly when someone spends an hour discussing decisions and their repercussions. Everybody has heard it before. Then Deputy Harris arrived, though. He didn’t live up to my expectations. He wasn’t dull or stiff. There was no script for him to read. He spoke to us as though we were genuine people with lives and issues of our own. Perhaps he was aware that some of us were returning home to chaos that we would never publicly acknowledge. He arrived with stories every…
I nearly didn’t submit it. I crumpled mine up twice the night before the contest for anti-bullying posters. It wasn’t flawless. The letters were all crooked, and the drawing appeared quite silly. However, I kept thinking about the last time Jamari remarked I appeared “too soft to matter” when she cornered me close to the lockers. I thus drew it again. remained up past the hour. Without looking at anyone, I turned it in in the morning. I believed I had no chance. I put little notes all over the photo, and I just wanted someone, anyone, to read them.…
I didn’t cry when they told me I’d never walk again. Just nodded like hearing the weather prediction. Sunny, maybe paralyzed. I didn’t want sympathy. Please no “you’re so strong” speeches. I needed room to feel like I’d lost something unnamed. I flatly declined part-time help when the nurse suggested it. “I’ve got it,” I said. I didn’t. The kitchen was a battleground, showers were difficult, and utensils fell everywhere. Then Saara arrived. She was unlike my expectations. A bit younger and less sweet than expected. She never treated me like a weakling. She just inquired, “Where’s your coffee?” and…
I wasn’t supposed aboard that train. After a night of crying in my car outside my ex’s place, I booked the vacation last minute. I almost went back to him despite my vows. I packed my luggage, grabbed the first out-of-town ticket, and told myself I needed air. A change of landscape. Something else than sorrow and doubt. So I spotted the dog. A golden retriever sat upright up like he belonged there more than me. One paw on the table, tail elegantly draped over the seat, like this was his typical travel. His owner relaxed, sipping coffee and spoke…
In August, actor John Amos, famed for “Roots”, “Good Times”, and “Coming To America”, died. He died at 84 from natural causes in Los Angeles on August 21, according to his representative, who told NBC News. With a career spanning over five decades, Amos leaves a legacy of trailblazing television and film work and a dedication to positive African American representation in media. His son Kelly Christopher Amos called his father “my best friend, and my hero.” “I share with you that my father has transitioned with heartfelt sadness,” his son said. “He was compassionate and had a gold heart……
